MANUFACTURE
TUBE CUTTING
After being sun dried, specialised personnel cut the tubes of cane and select the pieces according to our quality standards. Then these are divided according to their diameter, length and wood thickness.
AGING
The selected tubes are stored in our deposit for at least 18 months.
SPLITTING
After the seasoning, each tube is divided into four pieces or ‘splits’ and again measured for their width and thickness.
SEGMENT CUTTING
Each split is cut into the required length. In this part of the process we make a mark in the top of the segment, denoting the growth direction of the fibres. The tip, then, is made in the most vibrant area of the material.
SANDING AND TAPERING
Each segment is rectified with high precision machinery that makes the base perfectly flat and smooth, ensuring a correct support for the reed where it will have contact with the mouthpiece. Then the sides are tapered and shaped in a machine that leaves the blank finished with a trapezoidal shape according to the required width.
SANDING AND TIP TRIMMING
Each blank is inspected when filling the charger that feeds the scraper machine. A template is copied by these machines and through 100 brush strokes; they will give the final shape to the scraping of the reed. Each ‘blank’ is profiled in order to create the vamp with perfect finish: afterwards the tip is cut into a curved shape.
MEASURING
Every Gonzalez reed is subjected to a 3D measuring machine that provides exact information of the piece that will be used for comparison with the original model.
MEASUREMENT BY QUARTERS
Each reed is subjected to an equal force in an electronic machine which measures the resistance to bending of reeds resulting in its hardness. Gonzalez strengths are divided by quarters. so that once the musician finds the right strength, they can play 10 out of 10.
PACKAGING
Each reed is visually inspected before being enveloped in its reed case. All materials that Gonzalez uses to package our products are fully recyclable.
QUALITY CONTROL
The quality of our products in not only strictly monitored during each step of the process. but every finished reed is also compared with the original model. In addition, renowned musicians around the world submit our reeds to their professional evaluation.